Dolphins officials postpone meeting with OT Jonathan Martin

Players left confused with pending team actions

DAVIE – — Dolphins owner Steve Ross and CEO Tom Garfinkel have delayed their planned meeting with estranged right tackle Jonathan Martin at the request of the NFL.

In another twist in the Martin/Richie Incognito saga, Dolphins players said they hadn't yet been informed about Ross' blue-ribbon committee that will develop a players' code of conduct for next season.

Hall of Fame quarterback Dan Marino said he accepted a spot on the committee after fielding a call from Ross on Monday afternoon, and there was momentary confusion about a leadership council meeting that's now been re-scheduled.

Ross and Garfinkel planned on flying to California on Wednesday to talk to Martin prior to Martin being interviewed for the NFL's independent investigation of the Dolphins' workplace and the Martin/Incognito story.

But Ted Wells, a prominent New York-based attorney who commissioner Roger Goodell put in charge of the investigation, urged Ross to postpone the visit.

"Ted Wells and the National Football League have asked that we delay our meeting with Jonathan Martin until they have the opportunity to meet with him," Garfinkel said in a statement released Tuesday afternoon. "Out of deference to the process, we will cooperate with their request. We look forward to meeting with Jonathan as soon as possible."

It seemed a bit odd Ross was planning on meeting with Martin, and not Incognito (after being pressed on Monday night Ross said he would like to meet with Incognito). And it also seemed strange Ross was planning on meeting with Martin before Martin's meeting with NFL investigators. Apparently, however, Ross won't meet with Martin any time soon.

As for the five-man committee that's developing the code of conduct, coach Joe Philbin said he's in favor of the group.

"I'm for anything that can make our organization better, I'm fully supportive of," Philbin said. "Steve and I talked about this, and I'm in total agreement and support."

Asked whether the committee means the Dolphins' six-player leadership council, a group that previously included Incognito, is a failure, Philbin bristled.

"Not at all," he said. "We're going to have a leadership council meeting later (Monday), as a matter of fact."

Actually, that wasn't true.

Defensive end Cam Wake was asked if the group was meeting Monday and replied, "Not that I'm aware of."

A Dolphins official said Philbin made that announcement to the media before informing members of the leadership council. The official said the leadership council has a meeting scheduled for Wednesday.

Regarding the code of conduct committee, Marino, speaking on "The Eric Reed Show" on WAXY-AM (790-Miami), called the committee "a work in progress" and added "we haven't even discussed exactly what the parameters of it are."

Marino said he was approached by Ross on Monday afternoon about being a member.

"I said listen, if I can help, because I love the Dolphins, and I love our community down here," Marino said, "if I could help him in any way I would. And that's really where it's at right now because I haven't had a chance to talk to anybody else that's even on the committee since (Monday)."

Players seemed shocked to hear that, No. 1, Ross spoke before the Monday Night game, and, No. 2, he's forming a code of conduct committee. They also didn't know Ross, before Wells intervened, was planning on visiting Martin. Last week, several Dolphins had displayed support for Incognito.

Ellerbe, a fifth-year veteran, was taken aback by the idea of a committee formulating rules for players.

"With all the hype that's going around the situation they're doing what they feel is right to keep the heat off of us and make it a good work environment," he said of the code of conduct. "But I've never heard of anything like that."